


Caught Up in the Holiday Spirit(s)

by mia6363



Series: 90s Nostalgia Power Hour [2]
Category: Home Alone (Movies), The Sixth Sense (1999)
Genre: Accidental Voyeurism, Body Worship, But he's trying, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Vacation, Dubious Consent, Exhibitionism, Fluff and Smut, Ghost Sex, Ghosts Helping Us Get Over Body Issues, Glossed over past murder, Graphic Description of Corpses, Holidays, Jealousy, Kevin still isn't totally sane, M/M, Nipple Play, Praise Kink, Self-Esteem Issues, Smut, The Dubious Consent is NOT between Kevin and Cole, Voyeurism, it's more like Dubious foreplay assistance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-09-16 17:26:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16958361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mia6363/pseuds/mia6363
Summary: Cole felt gluttonous, walking hand-in-hand with Kevin in such a luxurious space, following one departed soul after another. He never thought it would be possible, to beon the jobwith his boyfriend, holding his hand, and for his boyfriend to beokay with it.Kevin grinned, his grip warm and firm.“Aside from the occasional chill,” Kevin sniffed, keeping an eye out as Cole picked the lock to the basement, “this is exhilarating.”The first two souls were easy, a simple sleight of hand to retrieve objects of theirs and they were happy. The basement, which held the darkest aura, made Cole nervous.“It’s not all theft and sneaking around.”





	Caught Up in the Holiday Spirit(s)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [reapersun](https://archiveofourown.org/users/reapersun/gifts).



> **WARNING** for mild dubious consent. **NOT** between Kevin and Cole, but interested parties who go between spectators and participants. More like “Dubious assisted foreplay,” if you will. Also some gory descriptions of a messy, scary, died-violently ghost.

“Oh my God,” Cole’s mother whispered under her breath for the hundredth time, “Just look at this place.” 

The series of cars rented by the McCallister family rolled around the bend to reveal the mountain resort’s red roofs. Cole, his mother, and Kevin had their own car, a nice break from the chaos of getting everyone from Kevin’s house to the airport. _“The McCallisters operate at a dull roar most of the time,”_ Kevin had whispered to Cole’s mother with a slanted smile, but even Kevin was exhausted by the time they landed in Colorado. 

His head rested on Cole’s shoulder, some drool seeping through his sweater. 

“Yeah.” Cole took a deep breath, trying not to let tension seep into his ribs as the McCallister motorcade pulled into the noticeably overwhelmed valet. “It’s something.” 

Kevin yawned, his jaw cracking as he stretched. 

“We’re here already?” He rubbed his eyes, his knuckles bumping against his glasses as his breath fogged up the window. “Looks nice.” 

_Nice_ was an understatement. Sleek cobblestones, cherry-red wood accented with white decorated the lodges. The added snowfall made it look like something out of a movie. Cole braced himself for the cold. 

He’d been dating Kevin for three years. Three years of one of them traveling to Chicago or Philadelphia, of Kevin calling his mom Lynn and Mrs. McCallister hitting Cole’s arm with a, _“Call me Kate, dear.”_ Three years of having… someone that didn’t mind that Cole was weird, or when he’d lose focus because of his job. When Cole tried thanking him for it, Kevin ended up confused. 

_“Are you thanking me for liking you? If I didn’t like **you,** I wouldn’t be kissing all up on ‘ya,”_ he found a way to get his hands under Cole’s shirt with a leer, _“would I?”_

It was dizzying, how _easy_ it was to be invited to the McCallister Christmas, Kate insisting he invite his mother. That’s how they were in Colorado at a resort that he’d never dream of affording. 

Kevin helped Lynn out of the car while Cole grabbed their carry-ons. The vans opened up one-by-one, the McCallister family spilling out. The noise decibel dramatically increased. 

“The McCallisters have arrived,” Kevin shivered, his scarf sliding off his neck and his coat hanging open, revealing a Grinch sweater. “Ready yourself, those brats _love_ their Uncle Cole. You’re taking my spot as the best Uncle, you—” Kevin’s breath puffed between them. Cole fixed Kevin’s scarf, looping it around his neck and pulling his jacket shut. Cole snuck a quick kiss. Kevin blinked, his smile loose and _dopey._ “Hi.” 

His voice was hoarse, his hands were warm, and Cole couldn’t remember being so in _love_ in his life. 

“Hi.” Lynn had already joined Kate and they needed to be there for role call, a step that was _very important_ in any McCallister holiday. Cole knew he should say hello to everyone and be polite. Instead, he felt his cheeks heat at the sight of snowflakes catching in Kevin’s hair. “I love you.” 

Three years and Kevin would still get wide-eyed, his ears flushing pink. _I don’t care how long it takes,_ Cole thought with an intensity that frightened him, _I’ll keep saying it until you believe it without hesitation._ It was a promise, one that he had spoken aloud a few times when it was just the two of them. Sharing breath in the dark, pleasure’s departing caress still skittering across their skin. 

He’d kiss it across Kevin’s lips, weave it through his hair, until Kevin would sniff, his voice cracking as he pulled Cole into a kiss. Returning the affection with a, _“Geez, I-I love you too.”_

“Dork,” Kevin said instead, with a roll of the eyes that did nothing to hide his smile, how his eyes shimmered a little too brightly. “Love you too.” 

“Ugh,” Sally, one of the many nieces, wrinkled her nose as she tugged on Cole’s coat. “Uncle Kevin is so gross and his face is always prickly, Cole. Are you _sure_ you love him?” 

Cole picked her up with ease, delighting in how her little arms hugged around his neck. 

“One-hundred percent.” 

He let her down, only for her to pull him towards the McCallister family. Bellhops rushed to take their bags, as Kate counted each of them three times until Kevin rolled his eyes with a, “Ma, I’m here, relax.” 

Cole and his mother were the first ones to walk through the large double doors into the lobby. 

Fireplaces crackled and Mr. McCallister made his way to the front desk with a self-deprecating smile. Cole took in the lavish setting with cautious awe. He had moments where he was _sure_ he was going to wake up from this dream… and this was definitely one of those times. From across the room, with his nieces and nephews crawling on him to pull at his hair and glasses, Kevin met Cole’s eyes. 

_Not a dream,_ he mouthed. 

Cole grinned, ducking his head down for a moment— when a voice rang out across the lobby.

“Cole?” It was so loud that Cole didn’t react, he told himself that maybe it was just the perfect _blend_ of the McCallister roar that made it seem like some man was yelling his name. “Cole Sear?” He turned and saw Tommy Tammisimo jogging over, tan and ripped. “Geez, buddy, how long has it been?” 

This wasn’t a dream, this was a _nightmare_ as Tommy slung his arm around Cole’s shoulders. 

::::

Kevin knew his boyfriend pretty well.

He knew that beneath the bashful awe at the size of the hotel, that he was happy. Happy to be in a big loud family that, for the longest time, had annoyed Kevin for years. Seeing how Cole delighted in it, how Lynn and his mom would talk for hours, and how Kevin’s nieces and nephews were still in love with their “new” Uncle Cole… gave Kevin a new appreciation. 

He stopped being “new” after the first year. They loved him just as fervently. 

There were moments, like now, when he’d gaze at the fireplaces, the bellhops, and Kevin could tell that _dork_ thought he was dreaming. So he assured him, as Sally pulled at his hair and Stewie tugged on his pants, _Not a dream._

Kevin spun Sally and broke out into a dance with the youngest nieces and nephews, half dance, half tag around the lobby as his parents sorted out all the boring checking in business. Kevin chased his nieces through bellhop carriages and over couches, only to run into his nephews waiting to ambush him. 

It was easy to grab their hands, give them a spin, and ignore whoever was judging. 

Sally stood on his shoes when she made a noise of disgust she usually reserved for broccoli. 

“Who is _that?”_

Kevin followed her judgemental gaze to… some jock douchebag who had his arm around Cole. 

Normally it would only annoy Kevin a _little._ The kind of annoyance that Kevin could _easily_ get out of his system by sucking bruises along Cole’s neck until Cole was riding Kevin’s thigh. _I can’t believe you get jealous,_ Cole whispered, come slick in his underwater and his lips bitten so red that it drove Kevin _crazy._

 _Of course I’m fucking jealous._

Kevin liked to drive his point home physically. Words were Cole’s expertise. Kevin didn’t speak his thesis, he kissed and licked it up Cole’s body, fingers slipping into him until Cole was hard again, sobbing Kevin’s name until there was no room in his head for self-doubt. Even if Kevin could only make him mindless for a few minutes he’d happily do it, again and again, until Cole would forget to hate himself. 

This wasn’t that kind of annoyance. 

Cole was uncomfortable in the most _obvious_ way, hunched in shoulders, a thin smile that was faker than his mother’s laughter at Uncle Frank’s dumb jokes, and worst of all— he angled his body _away_ from the guy. The dude didn’t get the hint, he’d pull him in closer the moment Cole inched away. Lynn’s face, a mixture of recognition and distaste, was the final nail in the already sealed-shut coffin. 

“Give me a minute,” Kevin set Sally down. He crouched so he was eye-level with the group. “I need to go help out Uncle Cole.” 

He straightened, rolled out his shoulders, and took a deep breath. 

Kevin wasn’t sure he _felt_ this way before. It was strange mix of deep anger with the predatory thrill he’d bask in when he’d drag bodies off his traps. Anger that Cole was upset and the thrill that soon, Kevin would chase away the source. That satisfaction was intoxicating, like a cigarette after sex or the snap of latex gloves before a long night of clean-up. He licked his lips and sauntered over to his boyfriend. 

It only took a few steps, long and bouncing, until he slid his hands _under_ the guy’s muscley arm. The guy flinched, hurrying to dislodge himself as Kevin pressed his chest against Cole’s back, his hands slipping into Cole’s coat pockets. 

“Hey, sweetheart,” the endearment was clipped around the edges with Kevin’s teeth, his glasses flashing in the firelight as he met the other man’s eyes briefly. He hugged Cole close. “The concierge is being _such_ a drag and needs all the adult IDs, not just my dad’s.” He slid off Cole’s back, his body between him and the new guy. He kept his chin up, his grin wide, and his shoulders open. He held his hand out with a dazzling grin. “Kevin McCallister.” 

He could feel Cole’s body relax behind him and that was enough to get the tense knotted ball of muscle to loosen in his chest. 

“Oh. Uh,” the guy’s eyes flickered over Kevin’s coat, scarf, and shoes. _Yeah, motherfucker, that shit is Burberry,_ Kevin thought with a sadistic smile. For once he was glad he dressed up and wore his good clothes instead of his usual ratty t-shirt and torn jeans. “Tommy Tammisimo.” 

Cole cleared his throat.

“We, uh, went to elementary school together.” 

Kevin closed his fingers around Tommy’s hand and _squeezed_ because he knew what elementary school had been like for Cole. He _knew_ what kind of kid Tommy Tammisimo had been. 

“Aw man, nice to meet you.” 

Tommy grinned, all whitened teeth and practiced charm. 

“I was just telling Cole that you might recognize me.” Kevin let his hand go, tilting his head to the side, running his tongue over his teeth, and relished how Tommy twisted and bunched up the longer the silence grew. Kevin refused to give him an _inch_ until Tommy sucked in a breath. “Ghost Explorers? We’re on the Travel Channel.” 

Kevin was proud of himself for not bursting into a giggling fit. He kept his breath steady and his smile aloof. 

“Oh man, that’s so cool.” 

Again, Kevin let the silence fester until Tommy tore his eyes back to his crew, who were lugging in equipment. 

“Yeah, maybe I’ll see you and Cole around. We’re going to be staying in the basement. It’s where most of the spirit activity happens.” He waved, a half-assed dismissal before he ran back to his crew. “Don’t drop the fucking _ring light,_ Matt, how many times do I have to tell you—” 

He left, _finally,_ and Lynn didn’t bother hiding her laughter. 

“Oh my God,” she wiped her eyes, “Kevin. You’re a menace.” 

She grinned as Cole’s eyes shone, his cheeks red. 

“You were so _mean.”_

Cole didn’t hide his smile. Kevin shrugged and pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. 

 

“I don’t like people botherin’ you.” 

Kevin worried, for a few distressing moments, that maybe Cole was embarrassed of him, that maybe this Tommy asshole still held some _shit_ over him, that maybe Kevin should have been a mature adult about it and ignored it or just… done something a little more refined than bare his teeth and cut his ego to pieces. Cole grabbed his hand and kissed Kevin’s knuckles. 

“Thanks.” 

_You never have to thank me for shit like that,_ Kevin wanted to say. 

“No problem,” Kevin said instead, weaving his arm around Cole’s waist while he looped his other arm through Lynn’s. “My mom scheduled a massage and facial for you and her in an hour.” 

“Well all right,” Lynn laughed, “I think I can pencil in a massage. You boys get settled in, I’ll see you at dinner, all right?” 

She kissed them both on the cheek with a loud _smack_ that made Kevin grin. 

The bellhop had their bags waiting in their suite. Kevin shrugged off his coat, digging through his bag for a t-shirt. Cole sighed, sitting on the bed. 

“Tommy was— he was—” 

“A bully.” Kevin pulled off his coat and knit-sweater, his fingers pushing aside clothes, lube, and toiletries. He paused when his fingers hit a small velvet box. He swallowed so hard his throat clicked. He pushed his clothes back over the box and grabbed a shirt with Gizmo on it. “You told me about him.” 

Cole ducked his head. 

“I was… I was a bit of a freak.”

Kevin shivered, a dark chill running down his spine as he pulled on his shirt. He hated that word, especially how it sounded on Cole’s tongue. He zipped up his bag and stepped between Cole’s legs, grabbing his face and tilting his head up. 

“Nah.” He drew Cole in for a kiss, light at first, until Cole _whimpered_ and Kevin licked into his mouth. Taking his breath, sucking on his tongue until Cole shuddered. Kevin pulled back, his glasses fogged. “That guy sucks, and has sucked for a long time. And you’ve been awesome forever.” 

“Yeah,” Cole glanced to the side. “I know.” _Liar,_ Kevin thought as he brushed his thumb over his boyfriend’s cheek, _but don’t worry. I’ll keep reminding you._ Cole scowled, his grip on Kevin’s hip tightening. “I can’t believe he’s here. And that he’s a ghost hunter.”

Kevin snorted. 

“He’s a reality star, not a ghost hunter.” Kevin shrugged. “Are there any ghosts here?” 

“Yeah.” Cole frowned. “Enough that he might catch some good footage.” 

“Hmm.” Kevin hummed, a delightfully dark smile spreading across his face. “What if we help ‘em out first?” Cole’s head jerked up as Kevin waggled his eyebrows. “You know, like you usually do, make them depart in peace. And if we hurry, we can get it done before tonight and then Tommy won’t have _shit.”_

Cole swallowed and took two short breaths before he grinned. 

“I love you. So _much.”_

Kevin kissed Cole’s forehead, taking a minute to breathe past his tight throat. 

“I love you too, dork.” He pulled Cole to his feet. “Let’s go dearly depart some ghosts.” 

Cole laughed, loud and bright, and Kevin couldn’t stop smiling if he tried. 

::::

Hotels, especially older hotels like Sonnenalp, tended to have a lot of ghosts. Most were peaceful, and the few that had unfinished desires were easy to spot. 

Cole felt gluttonous, walking hand-in-hand with Kevin in such a luxurious space, following one departed soul after another. He never thought it would be possible, to be _on the job_ with his boyfriend, holding his hand, and for his boyfriend to be _okay with it._ Kevin grinned, his grip warm and firm. 

“Aside from the occasional chill,” Kevin sniffed, keeping an eye out as Cole picked the lock to the basement, “this is exhilarating.” 

The first two souls were easy, a simple sleight of hand to retrieve objects of theirs and they were happy. The basement, which held the darkest aura, made Cole nervous.

“It’s not all theft and sneaking around.” 

Kevin peered around the corner and motioned for Cole to continue.

“Sure seems like it,” he glanced back briefly to wink at Cole. “You’re such a bad influence.” 

Even as the feelings of anger and darkness pressed harder against Cole’s hands, he couldn’t help but laugh as the lock clicked open. With Kevin’s hand in his, Cole descended the stone steps, his breath short in his chest. Kevin’s smile faded, his breath streaming out of his lips in a thin white cloud. 

Their shoes touched the sooty basement floor. Kevin shivered, his grip tight on Cole’s trembling hand. 

Kevin couldn’t see the lumbering man in front of the furnace, dressed in distressed, work clothes, caked with dirt and tears flowing down his face. He couldn’t see how this towering _giant_ of a man sobbed in ugly, heaving breaths. 

“Cole,” Kevin’s voice was thin, his eyes wide. “Be careful.” 

When Cole took his first step forward, Kevin stepped with him, never letting go of his hand. 

“You too, okay?” Cole spared a glance at Kevin, who was pale but still alert. “If anything happens, it will most likely happen to me. They know I can see them.” 

Kevin nodded, his lips pressed into a thin white line as Cole turned back towards the sobbing man. The closer he approached, the colder it got until Cole’s breaths came in choked off bursts. The sobbing continued and the man wailed as the old furnace, which had been removed and shoved to the side for an updated system, rattled, harsh thuds rattling the inside. 

Cole jumped at the unmistakable sound of _fists_ from inside the old furnace. Kevin’s soft, _“oh shit, oh shit,”_ was overtaken by the gulping wails from the crying man. 

_“I couldn’t find ‘im. They told me he left, I couldn’t find ‘im.”_ His hands were large, his gloves coarse and the smell of dirt was heavy in the air when he gripped Cole’s shoulders, surprisingly gentle for how his emotions bled into the room. _“I can’t open the hatch.”_

The banging grew frenzied. 

“I have to open the furnace hatch, Kevin.” Cole swallowed. “You should stay here—”

“No, fuck that,” the obscenity seemed to shock the big ghost out of his tears as Kevin shook his head. “I’m coming with you,” his brows were furrowed in a determined frown. “All right?” 

The ghost wiped at his eyes, his breaths calming into a more even cadence as Cole nodded. 

“All right.” 

Metal sang under Cole’s hand, vibrating so hard that his palm went numb. Thick scents of decay and burning flesh blossomed. Kevin gagged, covering his nose as Cole twisted the hatch and pulled. 

Heat and misery pushed Cole backwards, his shoes skidding against the floor until his balance left him. Kevin fell with him. He wheezed on the floor, his eyes burning. 

“Oh God,” Kevin was always quick to recover, his eyes wild behind his smudged glasses. He leaned over Cole, his back to the open furnace. “Cole, sit up.” 

Cole squeezed his hand and Kevin pulled him up, his head swiveling back to the furnace. Kevin’s breath shuddered in his chest, bits of red crawling up his cheeks. He breathed deep despite the smell of rot, and Cole did his best not to scream as a burned corpse fell, dragging itself forward with one boney arm. The dueling temperatures, ice at Cole’s back with the approaching wet heat, was a horrifying spiral. 

The ghost’s skeletal fingers hit Cole’s ankle and he flinched, forcing himself to stay still and do his best not to throw up. Kevin’s hand remained on his thigh. 

Ice froze Cole’s back as the ghoul picked its head up, bits of burned flesh still clinging to bone, lips melted away to reveal teeth frozen in a permanent scream. It’s milky eyes stared at Cole, and he swallowed, drawing in air to ask how he could help, what this poor soul needed. As his lungs expanded, the opal-eyes swiveled to beyond Cole’s shoulder. 

The heat and smell of death vanished. The ghoul was gone. Cole sighed, and he helped Kevin to his feet, brushing soot and dirt off his shirt. 

“It’s good?” Kevin fixed his glasses. “I mean, the um…” 

Cole looked over to where two men were embracing, the sobbing man from before and a lithe, slimmer figure dressed in refined, staff clothing without a trace of burns on his skin. The bigger man met Cole’s eyes. The air warmed to a normal temperature. 

“Yeah.” Cole smiled and let the air leave his lungs. “Yeah, I think we’re good.” 

::::

Wet snow dripped down Kevin’s neck and he watched Cole take cover behind a snow-fort that his nieces built with the fierce declaration that “ _No boys are allowed, except for Uncle Cole!”_ Of course, the nephews and Kevin, took that as a declaration of war. Snowballs were flung, joyous shrieks echoed down the hill and the other patrons definitely stared at the two thirty-year-old men who flung snow at each other, aided by children. 

They didn’t stop until Kevin’s mom called them all in for dinner. 

Cole was flushed and out of breath by the time he reached Kevin. His clothes were soaked through with snow and he shivered when hotel’s warm air washed over them. 

Just a few hours ago, Kevin and Cole had faced off against ghosts in the creepiest basement. Well, Kevin couldn’t _see_ the ghosts, but he still knew they were _there._ That shit happened and Cole still had energy to catch his nieces in hugs, spinning the around until he fell back into a snowpile. 

Kevin didn’t know how the hell Cole did it.

After dinner, when they both dragged themselves to their suite, Cole caught Kevin staring. He smiled, glancing away. 

“What,” Cole asked, like he didn’t know how much Kevin fucking _loved_ him. 

Pulling their damp clothes off, spending too much time in a hot a shower, and stumbling back out and fighting to towel the other off was easy. Sneaking in kisses while Cole dried Kevin’s hair was as natural as breathing. 

“You’re amazing,” Kevin whined, his breath hot against Cole’s mouth. He sank his teeth into Cole’s plush lower lip, pulling when Cole’s slick fingers slipped inside of him. “Cole, _Cole,_ you’re so,” Kevin shivered, his forehead dropping down on Cole’s shoulder as he ground down on his fingers, “you’re so fucking _cool,_ man.” 

Cole huffed a laugh, trembling when Kevin licked his lips, idly running his thumbs around Cole’s nipples. 

“Sure.” 

Pleasure dripped down Kevin’s spine like hot wax, thick and slow. Cole had taught Kevin the pleasure of indulgence, of _savoring_ every step. Orgasms weren’t just a race to a satisfying and forgettable release. The build-up, the shared breath and drag of sweat-slick skin… it heightened _everything._ Kevin shuddered and Cole kissed his jaw, his teeth catching on Kevin’s ear and _pulling._

Kevin whined into Cole’s mouth, licking the smile off Cole’s lips. They stole each other’s breath until they were dizzy, until Kevin was sure they were going to be forever caught in a state of almost-coming but never _quite_ finishing, forever flushed, throbbing, and aching. Like him and Cole were a part of an erotic exhibit. 

_Fuck,_ Kevin’s thoughts had eroded into a string of obscenity and yearning. _Fuck._

Cole’s twisted his fingers, his cheeks scarlet as his other hand slipped off Kevin’s hips. 

“Mm,” Cole’s voice caught when Kevin pressed back against him, his fingers slip-sliding against that _spot_ inside of Kevin, “Lights.” 

It took Kevin a few moments to realize that Cole said something. 

“W-What?” 

“The lights,” Cole wasn’t looking at him, “could you get the, uh, lights please?” 

Kevin stopped grinding back against Cole’s fingers. He swallowed, still hard with his heart pounding in his chest. Some nights, if Kevin kissed hard enough, if he got them both dizzy _fast_ enough, Cole would forget about turning off the lights. And it wasn’t _that_ big of a deal anyway, Kevin’s eyes adjusted to the dark pretty quickly. 

Really, it was no problem.

Okay it was _only a problem_ because Kevin wanted to see Cole. 

He wanted to see Cole all the time, in a million different ways, and he thought maybe he’d get bored of seeing Cole smiling, laughing, sleeping, snoring, but _no._ Kevin just wanted _more._ Constantly. He knew it wasn’t easy to dispel decades of low self-esteem. He _knew_ that. 

Still, the times when Kevin got Cole to that worked-up state, where he was mindless with it, whining and writhing on the bed when Kevin would bite up his thighs, tease his nipples, re-learning and memorizing him inch-by-inch— he’d forget to be shy. A couple times, when Cole was really shameless… 

It felt like Kevin was fucking a god, all smooth skin, soft curves, and a delighted, hedonistic grin that _burned_ into Kevin’s heart like fire. 

_You deserve to feel like **that** all the time,_ Kevin thought, kissing Cole’s forehead before he leaned over him, reaching for the lamp at the side of the bed. 

His fingers stretched, his hand steadying himself on Cole’s shoulder. He almost reached it when he was flung back. He barely had time to register that Cole’s fingers had slipped out of him because he had to catch himself on the sheets before he slid right off the bed. His glasses had been knocked aside, thankfully barely managing to cling to his face as he sucked in a shocked breath. 

“What,” Kevin quickly righted his glasses, pushing himself up on his elbows. “Cole, what—” 

Cole was never rough. He never _shoved_ or _hit._ The most force he ever used were light bites that drove Kevin _wild._

The endless flurry of questions like _what’s going on— did I hurt you— are you okay_ dried up when he watched Cole get _pulled_ down the bed, his eyes wide as _something_ caught him under the arms, pulling so his back was arched and he was completely exposed. Kevin tried to sit up, but he was immediately pushed back until his back was pushed against the headboard. Cole was dragged forward, his toes just _barely_ skimming the sheets, until his knees rested on either side of Kevin’s hips. 

Hovering, not touching the mattress. 

“It’s okay,” Cole’s wide eyes and panicked expression weren’t exactly convincing even as he struggled to move his arms to cover his chest, still flushed and bitten pink. “Kevin, it’s going to be okay.” 

Kevin managed to swallow the, _Are you fucking sure,_ that threatened to spill from his lips. He took a deep breath and did his best to feel around for… well, whatever it was ghosts felt like to people who weren’t _keen_ like Cole. The slight chill in the room, not nearly as freezing as before, and definitely no more of the _burning flesh_ smell, but it felt familiar. 

“It’s the guys from before?” Kevin swallowed, doing his best not to fight back against whichever dearly departed dude was holding him down. “I thought they were good to go.” 

“They were. They _are,”_ Cole was a lot calmer than most people would have been, naked, held upright by the undead, his ass brushing against his boyfriend’s still-hard cock. “I don’t think they’re angry.” 

Kevin nodded, his heartbeat slowing down to a manageable speed. 

“Okay. That’s, um, that’s good.” Kevin wiggled his fingers, tapping them like he was bored at the DMV instead of being naked and restrained by ghosts. He winked. “I’ll get comfortable. Shout if you need me.” 

Cole smiled, a small curl of his lips, and it was enough for Kevin’s panic to lessen. 

::::

 _This is fine,_ Cole insisted as burly arms kept him upright. _This is totally fine._

Kevin was understandably nervous, his eyes darting around behind his glasses, looking for signs of the ghosts he couldn’t see. 

The two ghosts from the basement were Luis (the big crying lug who was currently held Cole up, his arms looped under Cole’s and didn’t seem fazed by Cole’s weight in the slightest) and Percy (no longer burned, thin and lean with dark hair, who had his arms around Kevin, hugging him from behind to keep him still). 

Luis had been the gardner decades ago, Percy had been the piano player, and they had been in love. 

_“You’re such a **handsome** couple,”_ Percy purred, running his fingers through Kevin’s hair. Kevin didn’t feel it, but it still twisted deep in Cole’s stomach. _“Almost as handsome as us.”_

Cole twisted in Luis’s grip, pulling a little bit, but Luis didn’t give him an inch. 

“I-I don’t understand,” Cole tried to glance up at Luis, hating how _exposed_ he was, how the lights were still on, how Kevin could see _everything._ Stomach, thighs, half-had cock… Cole was doing his best not to die of embarrassment. “When I last saw you… you two were happy.” 

_“We are,”_ Luis’s voice was much kinder, big and melodious. _“Very happy. Thank you.”_

_“We wanted to return the favor,”_ Percy trailed his fingers down Kevin’s arm. Kevin shivered, squirming with a thin frown. _“One handsome pair to another.”_

Cole did his best to be patient, to wait through all the vague ponderings. He took a breath to reassure Kevin, to think about what the ghostly couple could mean, and how he could possibly _begin_ to apologize to Kevin for such an intimate breach of privacy— when Luis shifted his arms so that his hands could cup Cole’s chest. 

The reaction was immediate. Cole yelped, Kevin saw the indentations on his boyfriend’s chest and lunged forward, only managing to move a few inches. 

“Hey—” Kevin’s glasses slid down his face, cheeks red, “Cut that shit out!” 

_“You deny your lover such a simple pleasure,”_ Percy smirked.

Luis’s fingers were more calloused and bigger than Kevin’s. He was too rough, pulling too much on Cole’s nipples. Kevin ground his teeth and jerked his arm, hard enough that Percy had to yank Kevin back. 

_“He wants to see you,”_ Luis’s palms slid under Cole’s chest, pushing up the flesh until Cole whimpered. He kept pushing, until his palms dragged over his nipples and he let the flesh bounce back with gravity, as though Luis were testing Cole’s elasticity. Luis did it over and over, until Cole was light-headed, his head spinning with arousal, irritation, and gutting embarrassment. _“Ask him if it’s true.”_

Cole recognized the hard tone in Luis’s voice. It wasn’t a friendly suggestion. 

“He said that,” Cole sucked in a breath, his cheeks burning as Percy grinned behind Kevin. “He said that you want to see me.” 

Kevin frowned, his cheeks red and Cole definitely _noticed_ how Kevin’s erection hadn’t flagged. 

“No shit I want to see you.” Kevin grunted, shoving his shoulder forward to no avail. “I wanna see you all the fucking time, Cole.” 

Luis whispered into Cole’s ear, circling his nipples lazily. Kevin watched Cole like a hawk, for every dip in his skin, every press and _release_ winding him up. Cole blushed when Luis finished speaking. 

“Um.” Cole didn’t know where to avert his eyes, there were too many people in the room. “He meant you want to see me with the lights on.” 

Kevin’s eyes widened. 

“Well… _yeah.”_ Kevin squirmed. “Like I said… I wanna see you all the time.” 

_Oh._

Luis let him go. Cole flailed his arms out, unable to catch himself from just _landing_ on Kevin’s thighs. Percy released Kevin, and Kevin immediately sat up, pulling Cole close. Cole kissed him, running his fingers down Kevin’s back, on his shoulders were Percy had been holding him the tightest. 

“Are you okay?” 

Cole could barely catch his breath, adrenaline and arousal making him dizzy. Behind him, Percy cooed over them while Kevin pressed his forehead against Cole’s shoulder and shuddered. 

“I’m fine,” Kevin lifted his head, his eyes shining behind his glasses, “what about _you?”_ Cole nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Kevin pressed small kisses across Cole’s cheek, down his jaw and neck. A crooning _aw, how cute,_ and a deeper _enough teasing, dear_ made Cole flinch. Kevin took a deep breath and whispered. “They’re still here, aren’t they?” 

Cole ducked his head, his cheeks warm. 

“They, um, think we’re a cute, handsome couple. Not as handsome as them but—”

“Bullshit.” Kevin nipped his lip as he gently pushed him down on the bed. “We’re so fucking hot together.” 

Percy began to argue, but Cole couldn’t hear him, not when Kevin was mouthing at Cole’s nipple, his tongue gentle and his stubble _tickling._ His fingers were soft, gentle, and precise, circling slowly, never pinching too hard, and tugging _just right_ until Cole’s cock was aching, until he kept clenching his thighs and thrusting up, begging shamelessly for _more, more, please **more.**_ Kevin rubbed his cheek against Cole’s chest, pressing against it and _dragging_ so he could give the same amount of attention to his other nipple. 

_“Told you,”_ Luis stared down at Cole, his hands on his hips. 

Percy ran his fingers down Kevin’s spine. 

_“He has a rather impressive… adoration.”_

Luis and Percy stood on at the side of the bed, still dressed and watching with easy-going smiles like they were at wine tasting.

Kevin kept making these _noises_ against Cole’s skin, like _he_ was the one being lavished in attention. Every time Cole spared a look down, Kevin was looking right back up at him, his lips pulled back into a grin. His fingers dug into Cole’s fleshy thighs moments before he swirled his tongue around the head of Cole’s cock. Kevin moaned, his lips so soft and every drag of his tongue made Cole’s chest shudder and jerk. Cole whimpered, at _Kevin,_ and at how his ears burned with commentary from Luis and Percy. His eyes slid form Kevin, to Luis and Percy, before Kevin’s teeth biting into his hip had Cole regain focus. 

“Sorry,” Cole covered his eyes with his hands, “they’re still here.” 

Kevin breath was _hot_ and _wet._

“Forget about ‘em, Cole. Look at me,” Cole opened his eyes. Kevin pulled back, his lips red and swollen as he stared down at Cole, his grin wide. Hungry. “I could do this all fucking _day,_ Cole. I wanna tie you down and never let you leave.” 

Cole came from a dark promise and the slide of Kevin’s tongue over his teeth. 

::::

Kevin woke up first. 

Grey morning light crept through the gap in the curtains. The sheets had slipped off them at some point. Cole shivered, pressing closer until his head was up under Kevin’s chin. It was why he woke up with a smile. Early mornings were usually Cole’s domain, but… well, they had been up _late._

Hours of kisses, bites, and blown out pupils. Hours of Cole losing his voice until all he could say was _please_ and _more._ Hours of Kevin running his mouth because of how it made Cole whimper and tighten around him like a vice. Hours of doing anything and _everything_ Cole asked, because all Kevin wanted to do was _give_ until he had nothing left. 

He pulled up the sheets and tucked them around Cole’s shoulders before he slipped out of bed. 

Even if they hadn’t gone on a total sex marathon all night, Kevin still would have woken up first. The buzzing anxiety in his chest that had been crawling between his ribs for months had him getting up earlier and earlier. He hunched over his suitcase, grinning at the stretch and _burn_ from the scratches down his back. He pushed past his shitty t-shirts, his one pair of jeans, and the mismatched socks until he got to…

Black velvet. 

Kevin gnawed on his lower lip, a bad habit he’d formed since he first walked into the jewelry store, red-faced and determined. The associate had been very helpful and encouraging, and when Kevin finally decided on something she’d smiled with a, _“I’m sure your partner will love it.”_ Kevin carried it with him and he practiced a million different ways to do it, and he knew that this trip was it. 

The big day. And he’d gone over his speech, to where the gardens out back with the mountains in the background, right after breakfast but before dinner. He practiced, it would be perfect, and—

“What are you doing?” 

Kevin slipped the box under his socks. 

“Stretching.” He turned and jumped on the bed. “Ready for round… what count are we on? Sixteen?” Cole hit him in the face with a pillow when Kevin went in for a kiss. “If we’re not at sixteen _I can get us to sixteen—”_

Cole dug his fingers into Kevin’s side with a grin that made Kevin shriek as he kicked away, laughing uncontrollably as cole followed, pressing on his sides until Kevin twisted away and slid off the bed, dragging Cole and a bunch of pillows and blankets with him. 

Soft and shy lips met Kevin’s. 

“You’re energetic this morning.” 

Draped in white sheets, hair mussed, and his lips still bruised from the night before… Cole Sear was a vision. Kevin shrugged with the crooked grin he knew Cole loved. 

“It’s going to be a great day. I can just feel it.”


End file.
